Flying-boat hull.



G. H. CUR-TISS.

I FLYING BOAT HULL. APPLICATION men DEC.6. 1915.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOE Wwensa ATTORN E'Y.

G. H. CURTISS.

FLYING BOAT HULL.

APPLICATION FILED use. 6. 1915.

Pa tented Apr. 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I NVENTOE GLENN H.CU|2TI55.

ATTOEN EY.

G. H..CURTISS.

FLYING BOAT HULL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6. I915.

1 ,22353 1 9. Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- GLENN H. CURTISS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO'GITRTISS AEROPLA'NE &

MOTOR CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF' NEW YORK. I

FLYING-BOAT HULL.

with aerial supporting surfaces for travel-'.

315 ing through the air. The hull. construction contemplated by this invention is, moreover, generally applicable to hydroplanes of any character, even if not designed for flying, while interior arrangements also contemplated canbe readily employed in aeroplanes adapted to rise from and alight upon the land only. A

In general, it is the object of my invention-to provide a flying boat hull of increased carrying capacity, such hull being equipped with an elongated cockpit which extends both fore and aft of the supporting surfaces intermediately secured to the hull. This cockpit is so subdivided as to provide a pilot 0 seat in tandem with, and-in the rear of, the

usual forward seats forithe passengers. Be-

tween these compartments there is interposed a central storage space for such supplies as large quantities of motor fuel, where theoceupants of any seatmay have ready access thereto. v

More specifically, the elongated cockpit which is formed in the new hull of this invention is subdivided into a plurality of sep- 0 arate compartments through the medium of water-tight bulkheads, the center compartment being designed as a'storage space for both bulky and weighty materials and being properly placed over the hydroplaning step of the hull bottom,,which' forms a natural reinforcement to the hull at this point where the greatest weight is to be supported.

A further and correlated object of the foregoing is to arrange a wing panel having its beams built directly into the hull and extending transversely therethrough ,at the points where the water-tight bulkheads are" provided for the subdivision of the main cockpit into the storage and seating compartments, this. wing panel being thus so Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application filed December 6, 1915. Serial No. 65,372.

disposed with the central weight-carrying storage space, as todefine an approximately vertical alinement of the center of lift and the center of gravity.

It is a still further object to brace each of the wing beams thus transversely projected through the hull, fore and aft into a pair of adjacent compartments, in order that the entire structure may be made to form an efliciently unified whole. It is an object of generic importance to provide a boat hull characterized by a hy,

droplaning bottom terminating in a rearwardlyfaced step and with a flat top which is coextensive with the step and rearwardly therebeyond, and to provide a tail portion having its top and bottom similarly forming converging angles from the corresponding parts of the main hull body, and having its sides finishing ofl' lateral streamlines in- '75 curred by the sides of the said main hull body. a y

The above and additional objects, to be hereinafter more specifically treated, are ac- I complished by such means as are illustrated in the drawings, described in the following specification and then more clearly pointed out in the claims, which are appended here- 'to and form a part of this application.

. -With reference to the drawings, in which there is illustrated'bne embodiment of the invention, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts,

Figurel is a side elevation of the boat hullbefore the erection thereon or attach ment thereto of any-of the structure fitting it i for flight Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same subject matter;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the hull;

Fig. 4 isa half plan of the forward por- -tion of the body;

Fig. 5 is a half longitudinalsection; Fig. 6- is a half plan of the rearward portion of the hull, in continuation of-Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through the same hull' portion in continuation of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a half transverse section taken on an appropriate-plane forward of the wing structure of the hull. p In its general aspects, the boat hull pro.- vided by my present invention foll'ows many of the lines of former types of flying boats regardto their own disposal and with rehull top which of the wing beam more detailed evolved byrme. One great point of distinction, however, is to be particularly noted, and that distinction resides in the flattened extends horizontally rearward from the nose of the boat, in a manner coextensive with the hydroplaning bottom which continues rearwardly through the ninety degree curve of lessening angle to a termination in the transverse step. Extending rearwardly at an upper angle from the step and at a downward angle from the horizontalhull deck are the top and bottom portions of the tail, commonly terminating in the stern post. W

The comfort of the occupants both with spect to the storage of the necessary supplies for the boat, has been made a major consideration in my invention. A single main cockpit of elongated formation is pro vided in the horizontal hull deck from the nose pontoon forward of the wing structure to a point some distance aft-thereof. This main cockpit is. subdivided by the bulkheads respectively associated with separate ."wing beams into a fore cockpit for. passengers, an aft cockpit for the pilots, and a'large central cockpit admirably adapted for store ing purposes. Large supplies of such a necessary nature as fluid fuel may be carried in the storage cockpit, so that the cruising radius of the flying boat may be greatly increased, and the operators thereof be rendered less dependent upon supply stations. Moreover, the great weight of the necessary supplies in any extended cruise is taken up by the boat at its strongest portion, 71. e., that portion reinforced by the heavy planing step and its skeg, and by the trussing structure braces.

Having set forth in the foregoing a brief outline of the general characteristics of my new type of flying boat hull, together with particulars as to the; improvements contemplated by my. invention of this date, a exposition will be undertaken,

and in the order indicated. The

ing a comparative blunt nose 10 from which the sides 11 of the hull have a'rearwardly elongated taper to'the stern post 12. Fla-ring away from the blunt prowof the boat is the V-shaped planing bottom '13, such bottom being curved in the length of the boat from the nose 10-to merge into a rearwardly and downwardly'inclined plane .nearly parallel which terminates in the step 14. The deck 15 of the boat isfiattened from the nose rearwardly to a point aft the step 14, being with the hull bottom and like the bottom, is rearwardly prolonged "and terminated by the diminishing streamline tail. The hull is thus streamline in plan (Fig. '2) although the forward portion of.

which will be required the sides 11, in a hull is built. up in the essential streamline manner, haverly carry the bottom planking 17, while at the same time servingto support the inte-.

rior flooring 22 of the boat. This method of construction terminates at the step 14, although the keel is continued therebeyond by the skeg 23 bracing such step, and the tail keel 18 to the stern post 12. Determining the cross-sectional or beam outlines of the boat are the hull frames 24 connecting to abutting floors by the heel plates 25 and interconnected to each other by the seam strips26 upon which the outer skin of the.

sides 11 is laid.

Beyond these sides 11 the planking composin the hydroplaning laterally for the integral formation of fins faces in conjunction with the mentioned bottom. Cap-strips 20 underlie the floors 20 to extend laterally beyond the sides or chines of the hull and afford, collectively, a base for that portion of the planking 17 constituting the fin bottoms. This construction is particularly advantageous in that the full hydroplaning area is constructed as a unit and without a break in its continuity laterally of the keel 16; These fins curve Extending longitu- 17 of the A bottom is extended '27 which provide auxiliary planing-surrearwardly out from the nose 10in a streamline manner, in plan, which is terminated by the step 14. The upper'surface of these fins connects back from the outer edges to manner which is essentially streamline in elevation. To these fins are braced,'the projecting wing structures, as will be later set forth.

Bilgeboa-rds 28 extend throughout the central length of the boat while chine stringers 29 are interposed between the extremities of the floors-20 and 21 and the lower edge of the hull wallsll, such stringers having the bottom planking 17 also fastened thereto. The gunwale stringers 30 reinforce the the cockpit 31 provided in the central portion of the boat. A combing 31 serves to edge thecockpit, the fore and aft portions of which have erected therein the seat frames 32 and 33, the cockpit being subdivided in a manner to be later detailed.

Turning now to the description of the built-in wing structure which includes the construction of stub-wings at the time of building'the boat hull in order that the supporting surfaces of the flying boat will hull frames 24 within.

be afforded desirable points of attachment,

the numerals 34 and 35 are employed to designate the forward and rear stub-wing" The forward wing beam 34 is erected transversely of the boat beams respectively.

allow a desirablewidth to the wing surface '37 which is built thereon. The. rear wing,

beam 35 projects through the hull below the gunwale strmgers owing to the curvature or camberof the wing 37 but is similarlyassociated with the hull braces 38. I

Standards or struts 39 are incorporated into each side 11 of the hull for the support of each end of the wing beams at their point of intersection with such sides The bracing means for these wing spars form an important particular of this invention, and include a pair of interior braces 39 and 40 which act as diagonals betweenrespective wing beams and'the extremities of the plan-- ing'step 14. Reaction braces 41 and'42 com-. plete the trussing of these beam's, 'all of. which truss bracing or supporting means for the beams within the hull is particularly identified with.the latterso that the achieved structure of hydroplane boat and stub-wings is a correlated whole. A footing 43 is carried by the interior flooring 22 for suitable anchorage of a .forward wing beam brace 43, which centrally braces said beam di-" rectly to the hull bottom.

Exterior bracing is provided for each wing beam, that for the leading beam par.- 1

taking of a dual nature, being composed of the legs or struts 44 which are combined after the'manner of the legs of 'the letter A, or of an inverted V. The extremities of the forward wing beam are thus braced to the fins which they respectively overhang in a fore and aft manner which" completes the union between the aerial supporting. surfaces and the water supporting surfaces of theflying boat. If desired, the feet 'of the struts'44 of each A'-brace may be connected by a board 44, as is best shown in Fig. 1 thus forming a delta brace, although the struts 44 are responsible for the main bracing function. Strut diagonals 45 connect each outer. extremity of the rear wing beam 35 transversely back to the-lower portion of c the corresponding hull side 11.

Water-tight bulkheads 46 employ the respective wing beams 34 and 35 as cap stringers for the purposeof subdividing the main cockpit 31 into three separate compartments, there being no communication between any two adjacent compartmentsfor any water which has managed to leak into one compartment.- As thus divided, the forward seat 32 becomes available forlthe on the boat body proper by extending bottom planking continuously and umnteraccommodation of passengers, while the rear seat 33- is suitable for the location of the flight controls for the operation of the pilot.

The intermediate cockpit compartment is adapted to contain such supplies as the motor fuel, this compartment being capable of carrying a relatively large weight owing to the fact that the trussed wing beams define its limit in a structurally strong manner which is heightened by the fact that the step 14 acts as an intermediate transverse support.

Moreover, since the respective wing beams 34 and135 are positioned in respectively fore and aft relationsto this planing step it will be obvious that. the center of lift and the center of gravity will be approximately vertically alined as the latter is located by the design immediately abaft the step. This will permit of the transportation of a much greater quantity of fuel for the motors than has hitherto been possible and will result'in a marked extension of the cruising radius for a flying boat of this type. Moreover, the location of the supplies between the other two cockpit compartments gives the occupants of either the fore or aft compart- A hatch cover- '47 is provided to slide over that part of the merit ready access thereto.

cockpit3l through which'the stub-wings 37 extend, in order to protect the supplies from inclement weather and the like. The stubwings are surfaced to provide sidewalks whereby the occupants of either of the cock pit compartments will be given'an advantageous location for the inspection of the motors which inmy type of flying boat, such as here disclosed, are supported by a composite wing post structure erected over the boat.

It should. now be apparent that the objects previously. presented have been attained by the constructions described in'the foregoing so that it now remains but to pointout that one specific embodiment only of the invention has been described and illustrated, and

to emphasize theifabt that other adaptations of this inventionmay be made in accordance with the variance of conditions concurrent with their adoption, in any manner within claims.

- VVhat is claimed is:

1. In a hull forflying boats, a hydroplaning bottom, and fin excrescences formed.

ruptedly from the longitudinal center of said bottom laterally to the margins thereof.

3. In a hull for flying boats, a hydroplanbottom, 'excrescences arranged to the scope and definition of the appended bottom terminating in a step, wing beams support extending both fore and mediate compartment.

built into the boat augment the hydroplaning area, and a base for the fin bottoms formed by extending portions of the interior framework of the boat body proper laterally beyond the chines.

4. In a hull for flying boats, planking arranged to provide a hydroplaning bottom terminating'in a rearwardly facing step, fin surfaces provided by an extension or said planking in alinement with said bottom and terminating squarely in alinement with said step.

5. In a hull for flying boats, a cockpit provided in the hull, wing supports arranged intermediately across the hull to intersect the cockpit, and bulkheads disposed in the vertical plane of the respective supports to subdivide the cockpit into adjoining cockpit compartments.

6. In a hull for flying boats, wing sup.-'

ports arranged intermediately across the hull, a cockpit provided in the hull to extend both fore and aft of the wing supports, bulkheads disposed in the vertical plane of the respective supports to subdi vide the cockpit into adjoining compartments, and a center covering for the inter- 7..In a hull for flying boats, a cockpit provided in the hull, wing supports arranged intermediately across the hull to intersect the cockpit, and'braces for each wing 8. In a hull for flying boats, 'fore and aft cockpit compartments, a wing structure between the compart- .ments and bulkheads associated with said wing beam to subdivide said coc wing structure.

9. In a hull for flying boats, an elongated cockpit, a wing structure built into the boat intermediately of the cockpit, and bulk heads associated with said structure for subdividing said cockpit. I

10. In a hull for flying boats, an elongated cockpit, wing beams extending transversely of'the hull intermediately of the cockpit, and a bulkhead associated with each 11. In a hull for flying boats) planing bottom terminating in a step, an elongated cockpit arranged in said hull, and a wing structure built into said hull immediately over said step and centrally of said cockpit.

12. In a hull for flying boats, a planing projecting laterally from the hull top, and

braces between the and respective fins.

14. In a hull for flying boats,-. a hydroouter ends of the wings [to subdivide said cockpit into -vided in the hull to extend planing bottom laterally extended to provlde auxiliary planing surfaces, jecting fromthe surfaces,

wings prosides of said hull over said braces arranged between said wings and said surfaces, and braces from said wings to said hull.

16. In a hull for flying boats, a planing bottom terminating in a step, a cockpit provided in said hull, wing beams built into said hull fore and aft of said step and a bulkhead associated with each Wing beam passenger compartments fore and aft of said step, and a storage compartment immediately over said step. 7

17. In a hull for flying boats, a hydroplaning bottom extending from the nose of the boatto a rearward termination at a transverse step formed in said hull, a deck, a diminishing tail portion joining said deck and said bottom, an elongated cockpit prosenger and pilot compartments.

19. In a hull for flying boats, a cockpit provided in the hull, wing supports arranged intermediately across the hull to intersect the cockpit, a planing step formed in the hull bottom intermediately of the wing supports, and means tying and bracing each wing support to said step.

20. In a hull for flying boats, a hydroplaning bottom, a deck extended at one end aft beyond said bottom, a cockpit provided in the hull to extend well forward above and well aft beyond said bottom, and means subdividing the cockpit to provide an intermediate compartment for the storage of supplies and fore and aft compartments for occupancy respectively by passengers and pilot.

21. Ina hull for planing bottom terminating aft in a. rearwardly facing step, a deck extended at one end aft beyondsaid bottom, a cockpit prowell forward above and well aft beyond said bottom, wing flying boats, a hydroa planing supports arranged intermediatelj aoross the Y hull respectively 1n advance'of and aft of said step to intersect the eockpit, and means subdividing the cockpit in separate oom- 5 partments in the plane of the wing supits bottom, wings extending. intermediately across the hull abovesaid fins, and braces 0 between said wings and the fins respectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GLENN H; CURTISS. 

